In the world of Free MMO games, Ys Online is an excellent example of developers taking the “free play” model to a whole new level. In the past, it was easy to dismiss free online games: they were relatively understaffed, under-developed, and lacked the depth and interest level of pay-to-play MMOs like World of Warcraft or Warhammer. YS Gold looks to break that mold in resounding way by presenting a free alternative that incorporates gorgeous graphics, unique crafting, a combat style with intriguing customization, and (hopefully) a storyline based upon the rich Ys franchise.
The graphics in YS Gold are impressive. Areas and models are nicely developed in full 3D, with lush, gorgeous landscapes. While the game strives to portray the Anime feel of Ys, which it does quite well, I couldn't help but see the influence of World of Warcraft. It has that “WoW” feel to it, but isn't quite as cartoonish. Character models are much more lifelike, and the realism factor has been kicked up a couple notches thanks to the full use of modern graphic card feature sets. This doesn't mean that the game is a graphics hog. Quite the contrary. Even running on a fairly outdated PC, The game was not only fully playable, but smooth as silk with all graphics settings set to max at 1200x900 resolution. Battle/magic effects are really quite impressive, if not sometimes overdone. It all comes down to whether or not you like lots of sparklies. But then again, the effects are TOTALLY in line with the anime genre the game seeks to portray.
The sound is also quite good. Background music is interesting without being annoying or overbearing. Effects are again, cut straight out of the anime cloth. It sounds exactly as you would expect it to. Even environmental effects are nicely utilized.
YS Gold utilizes the mouse for movement. Right clicking a spot on the ground moves you to that spot. You can change direction while movement by clicking in a different spot. Left clicking allows you to pan, and the mouse wheel controls camera zoom. There is no keyboard option for movement. This takes a little getting used to, but it's no deal breaker. Keys are instead used to open menus or perform actions. There are also a number of hotkey bars that can be filled with virtually anything: from emotes, to special attacks, to consumable inventory items. You can access the hotbars via key commands or by clicking the mouse on a hotkey's icon.
